Chopping Unsprung Weight

[RatedZ]

I want to get rid of some unsprung weight to improve the handling/acceleration/overall performance of my car.

Before anyone suggests gutting out back seats and interior bits, I'm not interested.

At the same time I'm reducing unsprung weight I want to upgrade with stronger/lighter parts. I'm thinking about a totally new brake upgrade, and I also want to redo the entire suspension, as well as wheels/tires.

Help me out!

[Bowtie_Z28]

This is probably the best answer to your question I can give you

Weight Reduction List!

[titter]

if you want to upgrade parts ... look at bmr front a arms with their k member and a new light brake package up front ... can knock about 100lbs off the front end ... not the cheapest method. relocate the battery to the back another 30-40 out of the front, but you will be a cutoff switch thats runs out of the back of the car to run at the track. get rid of the spare tire and jack if you havent.

suspension look into getting lca's, relocation brackets, adjustable panhard bar, new tq arm, sfc, stb, qa1 12ways in the rear, update to a eibach drag spring kit, for wheels and tires prostars/welds ... 15x3.5 1.75bs w/ a 5/16th spacer for the front 15x10 7.5bs rear wrapped in a good 26in tire for the front and mt et streets 325/50/15 for the rear.

i think i covered most of everything.

[BlackY2kZ28]

Originally Posted by titter

if you want to upgrade parts ... look at bmr front a arms with their k member and a new light brake package up front ... can knock about 100lbs off the front end ... not the cheapest method. relocate the battery to the back another 30-40 out of the front, but you will be a cutoff switch thats runs out of the back of the car to run at the track. get rid of the spare tire and jack if you havent.

suspension look into getting lca's, relocation brackets, adjustable panhard bar, new tq arm, sfc, stb, qa1 12ways in the rear, update to a eibach drag spring kit, for wheels and tires prostars/welds ... 15x3.5 1.75bs w/ a 5/16th spacer for the front 15x10 7.5bs rear wrapped in a good 26in tire for the front and mt et streets 325/50/15 for the rear.

i think i covered most of everything.

the only prob with getting rid of the spare tire and jack is, if your car is a dd then you are screwed if you get a flat

[Racer X]

he said "unsprung" weight,the spare tire and jack arnt unsprung weight

when you upgrade your suspention,get all molly parts and you will shave a lot of unsprung weight,plus they are way stronger

[BlackY2kZ28]

Originally Posted by Racer X

he said "unsprung" weight,the spare tire and jack arnt unsprung weight

when you upgrade your suspention,get all molly parts and you will shave a lot of unsprung weight,plus they are way stronger

yeah but he said to get rid of the spare?

[Racer X]

i was talking about what titter said

[BlackY2kZ28]

Originally Posted by Racer X

i was talking about what titter said

lol thats what im talking about

[RatedZ]

Well, see, I'm not looking to chop weight for race reasons. I just want to chop race for basic performance reasons. I just want a car that accelerates better, handles better, and brakes better. Obviously less weight is going to assist in quicker acceleration, but I don't want to give up the creature comforts like rear seats, a/c removal, etc.

Unsprung weight takes a toll on performance. I know this because of one of my friend's experiences. That doesn't mean anything (because he's my friend) but I was amazed at the disadvantage of performance hampered by unsprung weight.

He has a 2005 STi, just like mine. He upgraded to 18 inch wheels that weighed nearly 21 lbs each from the stock 17s that weigh around 16.5 lbs each.

Before upgrading his wheels he ran a 13.10s @ around 106 mph with his mods. After he upgraded his wheels he hit the track again and couldn't crack 13.70 @ 103 mph. As soon as he swapped his wheels again for the stockers (at the track on the same night) his times dropped once again to the 13.10 range with his trap speed tickling on 106 mph again.

I guess I'm just hoping for a similar increase with my car by chopping unsprung weight.

[BlackY2kZ28]

Originally Posted by RatedZ

Well, see, I'm not looking to chop weight for race reasons. I just want to chop race for basic performance reasons. I just want a car that accelerates better, handles better, and brakes better. Obviously less weight is going to assist in quicker acceleration, but I don't want to give up the creature comforts like rear seats, a/c removal, etc.

Unsprung weight takes a toll on performance. I know this because of one of my friend's experiences. That doesn't mean anything (because he's my friend) but I was amazed at the disadvantage of performance hampered by unsprung weight.

He has a 2005 STi, just like mine. He upgraded to 18 inch wheels that weighed nearly 21 lbs each from the stock 17s that weigh around 16.5 lbs each.

Before upgrading his wheels he ran a 13.10s @ around 106 mph with his mods. After he upgraded his wheels he hit the track again and couldn't crack 13.70 @ 103 mph. As soon as he swapped his wheels again for the stockers (at the track on the same night) his times dropped once again to the 13.10 range with his trap speed tickling on 106 mph again.

I guess I'm just hoping for a similar increase with my car by chopping unsprung weight.

you should be able to do it, BTW how much does the spare weigh?

[Racer X]

from what i understand,for every 1 lb of unsprung weight it will give the same efect as removeing 6 lbs of sprung weight

[RatedZ]

Originally Posted by Racer X

from what i understand,for every 1 lb of unsprung weight it will give the same efect as removeing 6 lbs of sprung weight

Well then, I guess I better get started!

[jblindy]

Ok for the idiot here......namely me. What is sprung weight and what is unsprung weight?

[RatedZ]

Originally Posted by jblindy

Ok for the idiot here......namely me. What is sprung weight and what is unsprung weight?

Ok, idiot. I'm only going to explain this once, so listen up!

Alright, seriously. Unsprung weight is stuff like brakes, wheels, and suspension components. Basically anything that isn't part of the body itself. Stuff like seats, dashboards, etc. don't count as unsprung weight because they are supported by the chassis.

In other words, picture a computer. Anything inside the tower is not unsprung weight, but stuff like the speakers, monitor, mouse, keyboard, cable modem, etc. is.

[jblindy]

Ahhhh....ok....I see now. I have learned my second thing for the day. The first was that teh=the.